Contaminant reduction system for disk drives

Abstract

A contaminant reduction system is shown for a disk drive assembly having a closed interior and slider disk components located therein which would be adversely affected by condensed volatiles generated within the assembly. A Peltier element is located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly so as to condense volatiles present within the interior at a desired condensation point within the closed interior. A getter material, such as a microporous sintered alumina, is located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly at the condensation point for permanently trapping and maintaining condensed volatiles which are condensed by the Peltier element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contaminant reduction system for an electronic device of the type having a housing with a closed interior and having at least one critical component located therein which would be adversely affected by condensed volatiles, the contaminant reduction system comprising: a thermoelectric heat transfer element located within the closed interior of the electronic device, the thermoelectric heat transfer element being selectively located for condensing volatiles present within the closed interior at a location within the closed interior;   a getter material located within the closed interior of the electronic device for trapping and maintaining condensed volatiles which are condensed by the thermoelectric heat transfer element at the location within the closed interior of the electronic device; and   wherein the getter material is a microporous sintered metal.   
     
     
       2. The contaminant reduction system of claim 1, wherein the getter material is mounted in contact with the thermoelectric heat transfer element located within the closed interior of the electronic device. 
     
     
       3. The contaminant reduction system of claim 1, wherein the getter material is microporous sintered alumina. 
     
     
       4. A contaminant reduction system for a disk drive assembly of the type having a housing with a closed interior and having a head-disk assembly located therein which would be adversely affected by condensed volatiles generated within the disk drive assembly, the contaminant reduction system comprising: a Peltier element located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly, the Peltier element being selectively located for condensing volatiles present within the closed interior at a desired condensation point within the closed interior;   a getter material located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly in contact with the Peltier element at the desired condensation point for trapping and maintaining condensed volatiles which are condensed by the Peltier element, the getter material comprising a sheet of microporous metal.   
     
     
       5. The contaminant reduction system of claim 4, wherein the sheet of microporous metal is a sheet of microporous sintered alumina having interconnected pores, and wherein the pores of the microporous sintered alumina make up at least about 50% of the total volume of the microporous metal. 
     
     
       6. The contaminant reduction system of claim 4, wherein the getter material is non-specific to the condensed volatiles being trapped, the condensed volatiles being held by capillary forces within the pores of the microporous metal. 
     
     
       7. A contaminant reduction system for a disk drive assembly of the type having a housing with a closed interior and having a head-disk assembly located therein which would be adversely affected by condensed volatiles generated within the disk drive assembly, the contaminant reduction system comprising: a Peltier element located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly, the Peltier element being selectively located for condensing volatiles present within the closed interior at a desired condensation point within the closed interior;   a getter material located within the closed interior of the disk drive assembly in contact with the Peltier element at the desired condensation point for trapping and maintaining condensed volatiles which are condensed by the Peltier element, the getter material comprising a sheet of microporous material which is non-specific to the condensed volatiles being trapped, the condensed volatiles being held by capillary forces within the pores of the microporous material.